Why should I recycle?
Recycling reduces the amount of valuable materials that end up in our landfills and conserves limited natural resources. Get informed about the importance of recycling with these facts and statistics.

What can I recycle?
Visit our Recycling Guide to find out what goes where, as well as a lot of great tips for reducing and reusing all sorts of items.

Why is recycling different everywhere?
Under US law, recycling programs have to be run at the state and local level, so there is no national standard. What can and cannot be recycled — and how you recycle — can vary even between adjoining towns and cities. This is due to what hauling services and sorting facilities are used, and the economics of transporting and selling recyclable materials into the marketplace.

I’ve heard that my recyclable materials don’t actually get recycled, they get hauled to the dump. Is that true?
Rest assured that your recycling is headed for the sorting facility, not the dump. It costs money to deliver trash to the dump; in the trash hauling world this is called a tipping fee. Conversely, recyclable materials are valuable and can be sold for profit.

That said, some items that are deposited in recycling bins ultimately end up in the trash after they are sorted out at the recycling center, simply because they are deemed not recyclable in the first place and are rejected by sorting machines. This is especially true for items that are “wish-cycled,” meaning that people put them into the recycling hoping the items are recyclable when in fact they are not.

Also, occasionally, a load of recyclables is so heavily contaminated with hazardous materials or non-recyclables that it must be thrown in the trash.

What is single-stream recycling?
Single stream recycling is a sorting method that makes recycling easy for residents. All recyclable materials (glass, plastic, paper, etc.) go into a single cart or bin at the curb, rather than getting separated into multiple bins. Then, sophisticated equipment sorts everything out at the recycling center.

To see how single stream recycling works, watch this video:

Should I bag up my materials before placing them in the recycling bin?
No. Bags can jam up sensitive equipment at the recycling facility and are difficult for workers to deal with.

Can I recycle ______ ?
Use our search tool at the top of this page to find out if you can recycle just about anything. You can also check out our lists of Most Requested items, Top Troublemakers (things you should not recycle), and Special Programs (things that you need to dispose of in a specific way, like electronics).

When in doubt, which is the better option: recycling or garbage?
If you’re unsure what to do with something, you can always use our search tool to find out. But if you don’t have a mobile device or computer handy, throw the item out. Putting non-recyclable items in the recycling can be expensive (labor cost of sorting out non-recyclables and/or lowered resale value of contaminated recyclables), and also even potentially dangerous (workers having to extract items from machinery).

What is my collection day?
You can find out your garbage collection day by going to the About Your Address page.

My trash/recycling was not picked up.Please report missed collections or any other problems with your service directly to your Service Provider.

What should I do to get ready for street sweeping day?
The City depends on residents and businesses to make sure the street is clear of large items, debris piles or vehicles on their street sweeping day. A clear street equals a clean street.

Why wasn’t my street swept today?
There are many reasons why the sweepers might not have removed debris from your street. Most often, it is because cars, toys, basketball hoops, or trash containers blocked the roadway. Vehicles parked too close to each other for the sweeper to maneuver between are another cause. Low hanging trees and shrubs can also prevent sweepers from cleaning in front of your home or business. On the other hand, they may not have made it to your area yet.

If it is after 5:00 p.m. and your street looks unclean, please call our Recycling Hotline to make a report. Staff will respond within one business day.

Do the sweepers work on holidays?
Street sweeping occurs Monday through Friday year-round with two exceptions: Christmas and New Year’s Day. Street sweeping will resume on the day following garbage service.